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Caesar's Legion
Caesar's Legion Caesar's Legion is an autocratic, imperialistic, slave-owning society based off the aesthetics of Ancient Rome. The Legion controls a large portion of territory east of the Colorado River with a population of around 120,000 people as of 2287, after a failed attempt to conquer New Vegas during a war with the New California Republic. History In 2246, the Followers of the Apocalypse sent an expedition to Arizona to study tribal languages in the area with the aid of New Canaanite missionary and dialect expert Joshua Graham. During this journey, 20-year-old Edward Sallow discovered books on the history of the Roman Empire and decided that he would use it as the blueprint for a new civilization. The group was captured by the Blackfoot tribe in 2247 and held for ransom. In order to acquire freedom for himself and his comrades, Sallow offered his services to the Blackfoots. Using his knowledge of military strategy, small unit tactics, and modern weapons and explosives, he assisted the tribe in defeating 7 others. The impressed tribe made Sallow their leader; desiring power and viewing the tribals as inferior, he took the name Caesar. Joshua Graham joined him as his Malpais Legate, while the other Followers were killed (except for Bill Calhoun, who was sent back to the Followers to spread the word. Caesar introduced the tribes of Arizona to the concept of total war, easily defeating tribes that were only used to small skirmishes. Defeated tribes were absorbed into Caesar's Legion, with Caesar ordering able-bodied survivors enslaved. To ensure future unification, their tribal identities were erased and replaced with a new nationalism based on the Roman Empire. By 2255, Caesar had declared himself the Son of Mars with a divine birthright to rule over mankind and established the capital of the Legion in former Flagstaff, AZ. For decades, the Legion continued absorbing tribes and growing in power until 87 tribes had been conquered. In 2273, the Legion first encountered the New California Republic after capturing and torturing a Ranger near the Hoover Dam. The NCR initially ignored the Legion due to their ongoing war with the Brotherhood of Steel, allowing Caesar to continue gaining power and making small strikes against NCR territory. After the Brotherhood destroyed NCR gold deposits, the NCR finally acknowledged the inevitability of war against the Legion and wiped out much of the West Coast Brotherhood. In 2277, a Legion force led by Joshua Graham attacked and destroyed Fort Aradesh before marching on Hoover Dam with the goal of conquering New Vegas to establish a new bed of civilization under Caesar. The NCR defeated the Legion at heavy cost to their own forces (including destroying most of Boulder City with explosives in a trap). As punishment for his failure, Joshua Graham was covered in pitch, set on fire, and thrown into the Grand Canyon. Speaking his name became punishable by death, but rumors spread through the Legion that "The Burned Man" had survived to seek his revenge. In 2281, the Legion continued to establish raiding camps across the Colorado River in NCR territory and engage in skirmishes while preparing for a second attack on Hoover Dam. When the battle occurred, the mysterious Courier Six was found to have killed Robert House and taken control of New Vegas and his Securitron army, which he used to aid the NCR in defeating the Legion. Courier Six promptly expelled the NCR from the region with his Securitrons, leaving New Vegas independent. Caesar died of cancer shortly afterward, with Legate Lanius taking control as the new Caesar. The Legion remains poised on the eastern side of the Colorado, preparing for another assault on the Mojave as of 2287. Lanius is unskilled compared to the original Caesar in anything but war and has an obsession with honor, making it difficult for the Legion to advance. Government Caesar is the ultimate authority, with the entire Legion being a personality cult around him. People born or pressed into the Legion have their previous identities and cultures erased and are enslaved to the will of Caesar. The largest unit of organization in the Legion is a cohort of 480 men. This is divided into 80-man centuriae, which are in turn divided into 8-man contubernia ("tent groups") that serve as raiding parties. Each party is led by a decanus. Society All members of the Legion are slaves, with able-bodied males serving as soldiers and women providing support as caretakers, doctors, midwives, and breeding stock. Women are viewed as subhuman and denied rights to an even greater extent than the slave army. Those outside of its ranks are referred to as Dissolute and hostiles are slurred as Profligates. The Legion is strictly against consumerism and irresponsibility, which includes disapproval of alcohol, chems, and modern medicine. Recreational drugs are either discouraged or banned entirely depending on where the individual lies in society and medicine is predominately through traditional healing. Subjects of the Legion (those living in Legion territory but not enslaved into its military) generally live a safe and stable life, as Caesar's aggressive conquering has ensured the destruction of dangerous raiders and tribes in Legion territory. Because of the lower taxes and safer roads in Legion territory, traders will often do business with the Legion even if they have distaste for their enslavement. Military All soldiers of the Legion are indoctrinated to fight and die for Caesar. In conjunction with harsh discipline (such as executions for both personal failure and the failure of others), this creates fanatical soldiers who will almost always fight to the death. Because of their disdain for technology and the treatment of soldiers as disposable cannon fodder, many Legionaries are armed with melee weapons while guns and energy weapons are reserved for higher ranks. Promotion is based on combat experience, with the least experienced soldiers being sent in first and more senior (and thus better skilled) soldiers increasingly behind the front ranks. All soldiers wear armor based loosely on Ancient Roman armor. Currency The Legion issues its own currency in the form of coins. The silver Denarius is worth 4 bottle caps, while the gold Aureus is worth 100 caps. The safety of trade in Legion territory and inherent worth of the metal coins ensures that Legion currency is accepted even in NCR territory.